Merry Christmas
by souxsiesioux6
Summary: A few “missing” Christmas scenes. I know this is very late, but better late than never, right? Three short chapters switching between Steve and Kayla’s POV. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own _Days of Our Lives_ or the characters. I just borrow them to write total schmaltz.

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One week before Christmas

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Steve stood on the edge of the crowd and gave serious thought to running away.

He liked to think he was willing to brave anything for Kayla, but Christmas shopping at the mall was testing his limits. Desperate to avoid going into any more stores, he'd volunteered to guard the bags while she ventured into what she swore was the last place on her list. All around him, frazzled shoppers bustled to and fro while Christmas music blared through overhead speakers. It was horrible.

Before he could make a strategic retreat, Kayla emerged from the crush of last-minute shoppers. He was relieved to see the huge shopping bag hanging from her arm because it gave him hope that she was finally done. "Thinking about running away?" she teased.

"Who me?" he grinned back. He comforted himself with the thought that an evasion of the truth was different from a lie.

Kayla's derisive snort of laughter made clear that she saw right through him. Okay, evasion hadn't worked. Time to try distraction, he decided. "Santa's gonna be a busy dude this year," he said as he pulled her into his arms. Lowering his voice so only she could hear, he added, "Let's be naughty and save Santa a trip."

He was rewarded with that charming combination of a shy blush with a saucy grin that was wholly unique to Kayla. She was the only woman he'd ever met who could be bashful one second and bold the next. Sometimes, like now, she could even be both at the same time. He loved to tease her until she blushed, and he loved her ability to tease him right back.

"Have you been a naughty boy this year?" she purred in his ear.

Steering her toward the exit, he happily replied, "Not yet, but I'd like to be."

"It's almost Christmas," she pointed out, "you've got almost a whole year to make up for if you're going to move over to Santa's naughty list. Good thing you've got me to help you," she added with a smile.

"Yeah, I don't think what I've got in mind would be nearly as much fun without you," he agreed. He was rewarded with a laugh, so he decided not to mention that he hadn't been all that good this year. Kayla always had been quick to see the good in him instead of the bad. With most people, it was the other way around. They saw the bad and were surprised to discover the good, if they ever saw it at all. Actually, before Kayla, he had trouble seeing it himself.

As they stepped onto the escalator, she leaned back slightly to press her body against him. With both of them weighed down by shopping bags, it was the closest they could manage to a hug. But it was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

One day before Christmas

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Wrapping her hands around the warm coffee mug in her hands, Kayla took another sip to ward off the urge to crawl back into bed. Stephanie had spent the night at her grandparents' place, but promised to stop by for breakfast. Seizing the opportunity, Kayla had gotten up early to wrap presents before her daughter arrived or her husband woke up. Now, everything was wrapped save one last gift. She had everything she needed: wrapping paper, tape, ribbon and bows. But she hesitated, wondering if it was a mistake.

She didn't have much time left to decide. She knew Steve was already awake because she'd heard the shower start up a few minutes ago. She needed to make a decision.

He was happy. She knew he was happy to have his old life back. Have his memories of his wife and daughter and their life together. But that didn't mean he was exactly the same guy he was before. He'd spent a lot of years as Nick Stockton. It was only natural that he'd develop different interests and tastes that fit the new person he'd become. Maybe it was expecting too much to think he'd still have affection for all of his old ways.

"Uh-oh, looks like Santa's elves have been busy," a voice called out from behind her. Startled, she whipped her head around to look and saw Steve checking out the pile of wrapped presents that hadn't been there last night.

She'd been so focused on her thoughts that she'd failed to hear the shower stop. Standing up quickly, she snatched up the still unwrapped present. Hiding it behind her back, she stuttered out, "Y—Yeah, I guess so."

Kayla groaned inwardly as Steve arched an eyebrow in response. She'd always been lousy at keeping secrets from him. And once he caught a hint that something was up, he was like a dog with a bone until he found out what it was.

Slowly circling her like a predator, he asked in a mock innocent tone, "What's that behind your back, Sweetness?"

She turned as he moved around her, careful to keep facing him so he couldn't sneak up behind her. "I don't know what you mean," she replied quickly. Hoping to distract him, she gestured toward the kitchen with her free hand. "I made some coffee, if you…"

Suddenly, he closed the distance between them and she became intensely aware that he was half-naked. He wore only a pair of jeans. He hadn't bothered to put on a shirt yet, and his feet were bare. Her outstretched arm remained pointed toward the kitchen behind him as she finished in a soft whisper, "…want."

He grinned broadly at that word and she decided clarification was in order. Clearing her throat slightly, she tried to explain, "Coffee. If you want some _coffee_, there's…"

He cut her off, "I don't want coffee, baby." He made a show of looking her up and down in case there was any doubt about what he did want.

Her brain shorted out. It was the only way to explain it. By the time her brain came back on-line, she was standing in his arms and his hands were wrapping themselves around the hand she still held behind her back. He smirked in anticipation of solving the mystery and she loosened her grip, submitting to the inevitable.

The object slid out of her hand into his. One look at his expression told her he'd recognized it instantly. She started talking fast. "I don't know what I was thinking. I don't expect you to be exactly the same as before. People grow, people change. I know that." Reaching for it, she continued, "It's stupid. I'll—"

"It's not stupid," he cut in quietly as he stepped away from her and held it up. The harmonica caught the light and gleamed.

Taking a deep breath, Steve haltingly played a few bars of "Jingle Bells." It was clumsy and slow, but recognizable. He broke off and stared down at the harmonica in his hand. After a moment, he picked it up again. He started again, this time playing "O Holy Night." It was slow, with frequent pauses and hesitations, but he was bending notes to get a bluesy sound.

Kayla closed her eyes, lost in the music and the memories. She opened her eyes when he stopped abruptly.

"I guess I'm a little rusty," he admitted with a shrug.

Kayla had to swallow hard before she could get the words out. "I thought it was great. Just… great." She nodded vigorously and did her best to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

He pulled her into a hug and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Nah, it was lousy." He pulled back enough to look at her as he added, "But maybe with a little practice, huh?"

Before she could reply, she heard the sound of a key unlocking the front door and a moment later their daughter bounded in with a cheerful, "Good morning!"

Steve turned and stepped behind Kayla as he replied brightly, "Hey! Good morning, kiddo." His arms wrapped around Kayla and she became very aware once again that he wasn't wearing much more than jeans and a smile. In a teasing tone, Steve asked Stephanie, "Did Grandma and Grandpa spoil you rotten?"

"Of course," Stephanie replied with a cocky grin that made Kayla smile.

"Look what your momma gave me," Steve boasted as he lifted the harmonica up and played a few notes. "My very own har-mon-i-ca," he drawled. His earlier vulnerability was gone, replaced with bluster.

"Just one?" Stephanie teased. "Don't let her hold out on you. She kept all of them." She swept past them into the kitchen, oblivious to the look that passed between her parents. "I hope you're in the mood for pancakes!" she cheerfully tossed over her shoulder.

Kayla glanced away, but still felt his stare. Steve had owned a collection of harmonicas in different keys and she'd never had the heart to get rid of them. Hoping to change the subject, she said, "Stephanie makes really great pancakes."

He gently placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head up so she had no choice but to look at him. "This isn't a new harmonica, is it? This is… this is mine."

Trying for a casual air, she held up her hand and announced, "Pack-rat. Guilty as charged. Although, good luck finding the rest of them because—"

She didn't get to finish her sentence because he suddenly pulled her into a passionate kiss. Her mouth opened under his and the kiss became a series of kisses, one kiss sliding into the next. She felt like a teenager, praying their daughter wouldn't come out of the kitchen and catch them even as she ran her hands over his strong back and molded her body against him.

When he finally broke off the kiss, Steve pressed his forehead against hers and took a shuddering breath before stepping back. Glancing toward the kitchen, he ran a hand over his chest and said, "I better, um, better finish getting dressed. Don't want the kid thinking her daddy's a bum." With that, he quickly walked away.

After a few steps, he turned back to look at her. Holding up the harmonica, he ran his thumb over it a couple of times. "Thank you. This… it means a lot."

Kayla smiled and said simply, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he replied before slipping down the hallway and out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3

Christmas morning (very early)

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In the early morning quiet, Steve sat on the couch paging through old photo albums with only the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree for company.

He'd been feeling restless all night because of something Kayla had said just as she was drifting off to sleep. She'd said this was the best Christmas in a long time. She hadn't meant anything by it, but it got him wondering about all the Christmases he hadn't been there for her.

After tossing and turning most of the night, he'd finally gotten up and dug out the old photo albums. These were the photographs Kayla had avoided dwelling on. She'd happily shown him photos of their old life together. But now he was looking at photographs of his family's life without him.

There were so many moments that he'd missed out on over the years: a chubby toddler grinning around a mouthful of birthday cake, grandma sowing little Stephanie's costume for a school play, Kayla graduating from medical school.

He'd promised to be a good husband and father. Instead, he'd missed everything. He knew there was some sort of conspiracy behind his memory loss, but he couldn't stop blaming himself for all the time he'd lost.

What made it worse was knowing that these photographs only told half the story. They showed smiling faces and good days. People didn't save mementos of the bad days; but that didn't mean they didn't happen. It didn't mean there weren't days when Kayla had needed him and he wasn't around.

He sensed movement behind him and looked around expecting to find Kayla. Instead, Stephanie stood there in her pajamas with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders for warmth. "You're just as bad as Mom. She's always going through those old photos and embarrassing me to death. It's not like I asked to play the part of a tomato in my third-grade play, you know." She tossed her hair over her shoulders and affected a disinterested attitude even as she joined him on the couch.

"And were you a good little tomato?" he teased.

"I was the best tomato in the whole vegetable garden," she grinned back. With a shrug, she added, "That's what Mom says, anyway."

"I'm sure she was right," he assured her. "Hey, what are you doing up so early? If you're hoping to catch Santa in the act, you're too late. That dude already came and went."

Stephanie shrugged and looked at the floor. "I had a nightmare. It seems stupid now."

"What was the nightmare about?" Steve asked. Cautiously, he added, "I mean, if you don't mind me asking." He was still learning how to be a father again. Was he supposed to ask about her nightmare? Or was she too old for that?

Stephanie hesitated. Watching her, he concluded he'd overstepped his bounds. He opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could get the words out she looked up and whispered, "I dreamt you were gone. I dreamt that none of this really happened and you never came back to us."

Any hesitation about how to act around his daughter disappeared as he pulled her into a comforting hug. "Hey," he soothed as he held her tight, "you don't have to worry about that. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

Stephanie nodded quickly, but she clung to him for a long time. When she finally pulled away, she said, "I know. It was just a dumb dream. Forget it. Okay?"

Her eyes were suspiciously wet, but he didn't know what else to say to reassure her, so he let it go for now. "Okay."

"Hey, you two!" a voice called out from behind them. "Aren't you a little old to be getting up extra early on Christmas morning?"

They turned to watch Kayla as she walked past them toward the kitchen. "I don't care how excited you two are about your presents," she declared. "I get to have coffee first if I have to be up this early." She disappeared into the kitchen without waiting for a response.

"Are you excited about your presents?" Steve playfully asked his daughter.

"Nah," she replied easily. "I already got what I wanted. The three of us together as a family is the best present I can think of." With a cheeky grin she added, "Of course, I wouldn't say no to an iPod."

With a chuckle, Steve got up and followed his wife into the kitchen.

Behind him, Stephanie called out hopefully, "Or, um, a new cell phone? Or a pony? I always wanted a pony…"

THE END

A/N: I know it's well past Christmas, but I decided better late than never. I hope you agree!


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